Race Card

A horse race card is a printed program containing details about a horse race meeting. It usually lists the scheduled races, the names of the horses, and other pertinent race information. A horse race card helps bettors make an informed betting choice.

Move your mouse over the sample race card below to view a description of the information presented.

TimeThe race's starting time.

PurseThe purse is the prize money that is split between the owner, trainer and jockey and possibly others in the winning group. Prize money is also distributed, on a sliding scale, to those finishing in the first few places.

DistanceFlat races are usually run at distances from 5 to 12 furlongs. A furlong is one eighth of a mile or 0.2 km.

Program NumberThis is the race number.

Morning Line OddsThe horse's odds at the start of the day. This changes as the day progresses and more bets are placed.

Saddle Cloth ColorThis is included to help the spectators and bettors identify their horses at a distance.

Post PositionThe position assigned to the horse in the starting gate.

Horse NameOwners often use a name that stands out and is easily recalled by bettors. This is done since the horse's name is often used by many neophyte bettors to select their bet.

AgeAll horses count January 1 as their birth date. Individual horses mature at different ages. Most horses reach mental maturity at around seven or eight years old, when their behavior generally becomes calmer and more accepting.

Sire and DamThe names of the horse's parents. The dam's sire is often included. This data is useful for bettors to determine possible horse performance through lineage.

BreederThe person who handled the horse's upbringing.

WeightThe amount of weight, including the jockey, which the horse will carry. Many jockeys are on strict diets so they can 'make the weight' for their rides.

Claiming PriceThe Claiming Price is the price at which the horse is available for sale to a qualified buyer. As not all horses are competitors in stakes level races, racing in the claiming ranks gives the opportunity to race against horses of similar caliber. Thus, for example, when a horse easily wins against $5,000 claimers, he may be moved up in value to avoid his being claimed. More prominent tracks would generally feature horses of higher value. Claiming Prices vary from $5,000 to $150,000 depending on the track.

TrainerThe trainer is responsible for getting the horse in perfect shape for race day.

OwnerThe owner pays for a horse's training, and is eager to receive a return on his investments.

JockeyThe rider has a massive part to play in a big race. His ability to guide the horse in the race often spells the difference between victory and defeat.

Jockey's SilksThe rider's silks differentiate one mount from another, and are crucial to viewers who want to distinguish which horse they have backed. The variations can include spots, hoops, stars and stripes. A more recent innovation is the use of a sponsors' logo.

Summary of ResultsThis section includes a breakdown of the horse's racing results during the current year, during his lifetime, under wet track conditions, on the same distance and on the same track. It also lists the horse's previous earnings.

It also contains the horse class rating which is a mark that is based on the horse's speed in previous races, with emphasis placed on recent performance and races run at today's distance. It's usually a number between 50.0 and 100.0.

Summary of Races and PerformanceThis section is usually found on the lower portion of a horse's slot on a racecard and contains a performance summary of the horse's most recent races. It includes the following:

Points of Call - horse times, positions and distance from the leader at the First Call, Second Call, Third Call and Stretch Call

Final Position - the horse's position at the finish; the number usually contains a whole number and a mixed numeral -- the whole number denotes the horse's order of finish while the mixed numeral denotes the measurement of lengths behind the winner

Jockey's name - the jockey that rode the horse in the race

Final Odds - the horse's odds at the start of the race

Speed Figure - this is a comparison of the horse's time with the best time at the distance at that track in the last three years

Company Line - the first, second and third-place horses in the race and the margins separating each one

Comments - the horse's performance as written by a chart caller; the highlights are on the trouble encountered in the race and how he finished